Postal Service Recognizes World War I Centennial with Forever Stamp

Post Office® locations across the nation are selling the newest stamps to honor the millions of Americans, both home and abroad, who participated in World War I, considered the seminal conflict of the 20th century. World War I: Turning the Tide Forever® stamps were dedicated in a special ceremony July 27 at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, MO.

“Even though the United States didn’t see action until the last year of the war, in 1918, American troops played an indispensable role in turning the tide of that war in favor of the Allies,” said dedicating official U.S. Postal Service® General Counsel and Executive VP Thomas Marshall. “Today we pay tribute to the sacrifice of those soldiers, as well as the millions of supporters on the home front.”

World War I was a four-year global conflict (1914-1918) that reshaped the map of Europe. The United States remained neutral until April 1917, when it declared war on Germany and entered on the side of the Allies — Britain, France, and Russia. When the American Expeditionary Force, which ultimately grew to nearly 5 million troops, did finally engage in 1918, its actions helped end the war, thrusting the U.S. to the forefront of major world powers.

The stamp art features a close-up of a member of the American Expeditionary Force holding the U.S. flag. Barbed wire can be seen in the background, as well as an airplane in flight and smoke rising up from the battlefield. The artwork was painted in airbrush on illustration board, a technique that evokes the propaganda posters used during World War I. Art director Greg Breeding designed the issuance with art by Mark Stutzman. News of the stamps is being shared using the hashtag #WorldWarIStamp.